The Piano Player
by Skygirl1997
Summary: Sing us a song, you're the piano man. Well, we're all in the mood for a melody, and you've got us feeling alright. Benny catches his best friend in the auditorium, and quickly lets the rest of the gang know what Ethan is up to. Sing us a song, you're the piano man. Sing us a song tonight. songfic, oneshot. R&R!
1. Piano Man

**Where do I come up with these things? Seriously! Enjoy!**  
**Dis: I don't own MBAV**

"Hey, E!" Benny Weir called, walking into the auditorium of Whitechapel High. He was frowning down at his spell book, but paused when he heard something unusual coming from the stage. The Spellmaster looked up and did a double take. "Wow." Benny admired, lightly swaying to the melody.

His best friend and the resident Seer, Ethan Morgan, was sitting at the grand black piano at center stage, playing a soft and random tune that didn't seem to belong to a particular song, just uncommon notes flowing beautifully together. Ethan's eyes were closed as his fingers ghosted over the ivory keys with practiced ease and grace. His body was more relaxed and comfortable than Benny had seen it in a long time. A small but pleased smile was across Ethan's face as he played. The Seer was truly enjoying himself, the little chuckle of delight he emitted complete proof, and was the only sign of happiness that Ethan had displayed since the whole Lucifractor incident. It was nice to see.

Ethan paused in his playing, Benny fearing that he would stop completely as a look of thoughtfulness crossed over the Seer's face, as if he were debating something. Ethan opened his eyes and started playing again, his smile growing wider as the notes of the song flowed effortlessly from his mind to the keys underneath his fingers. Benny recognized the tune, but not much more than that. He was stunned when Ethan opened his mouth and began to sing along, and sing well. Benny pulled out his phone and, through a text, urged Sarah, Rory and Erica to come to the auditorium _now_.

"_It's nine o'clock on a Saturday, _

_The regular crowd shuffles in,_

_There's an old man sitting next to me, _

_Making love to his tonic and gin._

_He says, Son can you play me a memory? _

_I'm not really sure how it goes. _

_But it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete, _

_When I wore a younger man's clothes."_

"What?" Sarah demanded as she, Erica and Rory flitted in at vampire speed. Benny shushed them and pointed to the stage, Ethan so wrapped up in his playing that he failed to notice them enter the auditorium. Erica and Rory's eyes went wide with suprise and Sarah's jaw nearly hit the floor. Who knew that Ethan had such musical prowess? Benny smirked proudly. That's my buddy! Benny suprised Sarah by pulling her into a dance across the back of the auditorium, chuckling at her. Sarah smiled and danced along with him, even laughing a little herself. Erica rolled her eyes but accepted Rory's invitation.

"_La la la de de da_

_La la de de da da dum._

_Sing us a song, you're the piano man, _

_Sing us a song tonight. _

_Well, we're all in the mood for a melody,_

_And you've got us feeling alright. _

_Now John at the bar is a friend of mine, _

_He gets me my drinks for free. _

_And he's quick with a joke, _

_Or to light up your smoke,_

_But there's someplace that he'd rather be._

_And the waitress is practicing politics, _

_While the business men slowly get stoned. _

_Yes, there sharing a drink they call Loneliness._

_But it's better than drinking alone. _

_The piano, it sounds like a carnival,_

_And the microphone smells like a beer. _

_And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar _

_And say Man, what are you doing here?"_

Ethan jumped, startled, when Sarah, Benny, Erica, and Rory started singing along. He was so suprised that he almost quit playing. They all smiled brightly at him, even Erica, and Benny motioned for him to keep going. Ethan barked a laugh and continued to play, nodding with his head for his friends to join him on stage. They continued to sing along with him as they ran up to the stage.

"_Oh, la la la de de da_

_La de de da da dum. _

_Sing us a song, you're the piano man, _

_Sing us a song tonight. _

_Well, we're all in the mood for a melody,_

_And you've got us feeling alright."_

Ethan finished, playing the last few notes before stopping. The others clapped and laughed, cheering him on. Ethan blushed and smiled, almost shy.

"Dude! That was awesome!" Rory exclaimed. Ethan blushed darker.

"I didn't know you could play." Sarah protested.

"Or sing!" Erica added. Benny smirked. Rory and Sarah nodded in agreement.

"Benny knew." Ethan pointed out.

"It's true." Benny confirmed. He smiled at his best friend. "I haven't heard you play in a long time. It was nice to see you enjoying yourself like you used to. It was nice to actually hear you play."

"Thanks Benny." Ethan returned the warm smile and chuckled when his best friend nudged him playfully.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah!" Rory exclaimed, suddenly offended.

"You never asked." Ethan replied simply. "I haven't played since I was thirteen, in all honesty I'd almost forgotten I could. Then, when I came here to grab my jacket and I spotted the piane. and I wondered if I could still play as well as I used to. A few notes later and here we are."

"Who taught you to play?" Erica asked curiously.

Ethan's smile turned soft and sad. "My grandma did, before she died when I was thirteen. She'd started teaching me how to play after I wouldn't stop asking her to play mine and hers favorite song, so I could play it for myself whenever I wanted to hear it. I was six. I was a master pianist by the time I was ten."

"You stopped playing after your grandmother died?" Sarah guessed.

"Oh no, I still played." Ethan disagreed. "I quit because my idiot uncle had a massive freak out and destroyed the piano with a baseball bat. He was the baby of the family. I guess walking by that old piano that his mother played on everday was too much for him, and he took it out on that poor instrument." Ethan shook his head sympathetically. "I was there when he damaged that piano, it broke my heart. I couldn't look at another piano the same way again, and I never touched one again until today because of that. That piano had a lot of sentimental value to me. Grams always told me that if I wanted it when I was old enough, I could keep that piano after she died. The piano was technically mine when it was destroyed, but I wasn't old enough to claim it, I guess." Ethan rolled his eyes.

"Whoa, sorry dude." Rory apologized.

"Nah, don't apologize for something when it wasn't your fault." Ethan shrugged, sliding his fingers across the ivory keys, almost wistful. He smiled to himself, but there was no emotion behind it. "He got what was coming to him, though. He died in a car crash a year later. Drunk driving. Did I mention that the idiot was a drunk?" Benny clapped his shoulder and squeezed. Ethan smiled up at him.

"What was your Grams's favorite song?" Erica asked. Ethan looked at her oddly. He knew she was trying to change the subject, but why? Erica was never nice to him. "Could you play it for us?"

"Yeah E!" Rory bobbed his head up and down excitedly. Sarah was looking at him with an expectant smile. The Seer looked at the Spellmaster and shrugged. "Whoo!" The blonde vampire cheered as soon as Ethan started playing again. Sarah smiled, recognizing the song. Benny laughed as soon as he realized it.

"Hold your breath, make a wish, count to three." Ethan began. "_Come with me, and you'll be, in a world of pure imagination..."_

**The end! I hope you liked it! I'd always envisioned Ethan with musical talent. The songs are Piano Man by Billy Joel and Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. **

**Review please! No flames!**


	2. Smooth Criminal

**Okay, so I guess this is a two shot now. Didn't intend for it to be. But I guess that's good news for you guys right? Maybe? Possibly? Okay, I'll shut up now so you can read. Enjoy!**

**Dis: Same as Ch1**

Benny growled, banging his head against the counter in his kitchen. "You'll give yourself a headache doing that." Grandma Weir chastised him.

"Can't get what you already have." Benny retorted with a groan, letting his head smack against the countertop one final time. He sighed, pushing his face into his hand. Evelyn simply gazed at her grandson.

"Need me to turn someone into a toad for you?" She offered.

"No thanks." Benny denied, shaking his head slowly.

"Do I need to turn you into a toad?" Evelyn asked, narrowing her eyes dangerously.

Benny sat up quickly, his dark green eyes alarmed and cautious. "No." He answered.

"Then what is it?" Evelyn asked. Benny sighed.

TPP

"E's seventeenth is coming up in a week and I _still _have no idea what to get him." Benny groaned, slamming his head back against the lockers.

"You'll give yourself a headache." Erica told him emotionlessly, standing next to Sarah.

"Since when do you care?" Benny retorted, giving her a sour look.

"I already got Ethan something." Rory boasted.

"What? A Batman cape?" Sarah snickered. She stopped. "Wait. Ethan's birthday is next week?"

"Next Saturday." Benny nodded.

"Why didn't anyone tell me this?" Sarah demanded.

"We're telling you now." Rory pointed out. "And it's not a cape. It's pajamas!" Benny snorted into his fist to cover up his laugh. "What?" Rory demanded.

"You're a Wizard Geek, can't you just magic him up something for his birthday?" Erica demanded, not really caring.

"It's Spellmaster, and no, I can't." Benny corrected and answered her. "Ethan made me swear that I wouldn't use magic. Over my own spellbook. A promise like that is binding, magically binding, so magic is out for me."

"So, just buy him a new video game or something." Erica commanded, already tired of this conversation.

"He already _has _all the possible video games and played all the rest." Benny stressed, facepalming. He sighed. "Plus everything else is out of my budget."

"And that is?" Sarah asked.

"Like, $100. Maybe." Benny shrugged.

"That much?" Sarah was suprised.

"I do various odd jobs that Grandma doesn't want to do around the house and she pays me for it." Benny shrugged again. "And unlike Hot Mess over there," The Spellmaster nodded at Erica, who glared and hissed at him. Benny was unfazed. "I _do _know how to save money, and how to stretch a dollar."

"What if I pitch in and we get him one gift with both our names on it?" Sarah suggested.

"How much do you have?" Benny asked.

"After I babysit Jane for the night tonight, possilbly an even $120?" Sarah estimated. When Benny looked impressed, she smirked. "You're not the only one who knows how to save a few bucks." She told him.

"Deal. So that puts us at $220 total." Benny said, doing the math in his head.

"I don't want you guys showing me up." Erica slapped a twenty in Benny's hand. "My name goes on it, too."

"Wow, Erica, didn't think you cared so much." Benny retorted.

"That hurts my dead heart." Erica rolled her eyes. "I can be nice sometimes!"

"Only when you want something." Benny muttered.

"Ouch." Rory commented as Erica rolled her eyes again and strutted away. Benny jumped, and stuffed the twenty in his pocket as Ethan walked up, laughing along with another sophmore.

"Dude! Batman sucks!" Ethan argued with a twinkle in his brown eyes. Rory's face fell.

"He's awesome!" The other boy argued back.

"Awesome at getting his butt whipped!" Ethan agreed.

"Awesome!"

"Sucks!"

"_Awe_some!"

"_Sucks_!" Ethan sang. "Oh, hey guys." His other friend told him goodbye and walked away.

"I gotta go!" Rory raced off at hyper speed, leaving skid marks in the tile floor.

"What's up with Rory?" Ethan asked. "Where'd he rush off to?"

"The gift returns." Benny muttered.

"What?" Ethan furrowed his brow.

"Nothing!" Benny replied quickly, snorting to hide his laugh. _I've been doing that a lot lately._ He thought with a frown.

Ethan shrugged. "Movie night still on?"

"Of course!" Benny agreed, as if Ethan had just asked the dumbest question in history.

"Okay. See you guys at my place." Ethan replied, strolling off to his next class. Sarah and Benny shared a look, each thinking the same thing. _So, what do we do? _

TPP

"I got it!" Sarah cried in triumph, vampire speeding next to Benny.

He jumped, startled, and dropped his papers. "Jeez, Fangs-A-Lot! Don't scare me like that!" Benny yelped, glaring at the vampire.

"Sorry." Sarah apologized, not sounding sorry as Benny bent over and scooped up his scattered sheets. "But I found it!"

"Found what?" Benny asked with a grunt in his voice.

"The perfect birthday present for Ethan." Sarah smugly replied.

Benny's intrest peeked. "Really?" Sarah nodded happily, a large grin stretching across her face. "Well, what is it?"

"You know the pawn shop downtown?" Sarah asked. "Gold and Silver?"

"Yeah." Benny nodded.

"I went by there yesterday, and they just lowered the price on an old instrument. Old, but grand. And Ethan's favorite thing to play on." Sarah explained, her excitement growing with every word.

"A grand piano? Really?" Benny demanded, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Uh huh!" Sarah squealed, nodding rapidly. "But,"

"What, what? No buts, what's the but?" Benny demanded, his spirits falling.

"It's a little out of our price range." Sarah admitted.

"How much is a little?" Benny demanded, his smile slipping into a deep and desperate frown.

"It's $290." Sarah confessed.

"What? No! Sarah!" Benny whined. "Wait, why is it 290? Why not an even 300?"

"The guy said that it needs a little bit of a tune up?" Sarah winced, the statement turning into a question.

"Sarah, I'm beginning to think your definition of 'a little' is on the opposite spectrum than mine." Benny groaned, facepalming. "Did you think that, even if we could afford the piano, how we were going to afford the tune up?"

"Well, I thought we, or you, namely you, could give it a magical tune up?" Sarah explained questioningly.

"I told you Friday!" Benny groaned. "I can't use magic for Ethan's birthday, not this time. I swore not to, over my own spellbook! That's binding, Sarah!"

"But, that piano would be perfect!" Sarah objected whiningly.

"I know." Benny sighed, shutting his eyes. The piano _would _be perfect for Ethan's birthday. Ethan was always happier, enjoying himself more, behind a set of 88 ivory keys. Making music that way. Having one of his own would surely put him in a constant state of euphoria. Ethan may be a nerd, but he was a musician at heart. But how were they supposed to afford a grand piano, even if it was a used piano?

"Do you think Erica would be willing to pitch in a little more?" Sarah asked.

"Nope. Not a chance." Erica answered, popping the p and not stopping as she strolled by.

"That answers that question. And don't say Rory." Benny commanded when Sarah opened her mouth. She shut it with an audible snap. "That blonde vamp is bone dry. So we can't rely on him."

"What about your grandma?" Sarah asked. Benny looked thoughtful.

TPP

"Grandma! Come on, please!" Benny begged, chasing after his Earth Priestess grandmother into the kitchen as she walked away. "You know as well as I do that this would be the best gift ever!"

"I'm not convinced, Benny." Evelyn replied.

"You're always telling Ethan that he's a part of this family, right?" Benny demanded, pointing an accusatory finger at her.

"Don't point, Benny, unless you want to lose that finger." Evelyn scolded. Benny growled but retracted the apendage anyway.

"Come _on_, Grandma, Sarah and me already have most of the payment covered! We just need another fifty!" Benny pleaded. "_Please_!"

"Is that all?" Evelyn asked pointedly, setting her coffee cup in the sink.

"No," Benny confessed. "The piano also needs a bit of a tune up."

"Then no." Evelyn replied. "I'm not paying for a piano then paying for it to be fixed. You might as well buy an entirely new piano!"

"We can't afford it." Benny admitted. "But what if the tune up could be free? What if you didn't have to pay a dime for the piano to be fixed?"

"Unless you know a piano repairman that works for free, then that won't happen, Benny." Grandma told him.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Benny smiled hopefully at her. "I've heard she's _magical _at it. It's almost like _magic_."

Evelyn caught on to what her grandson was implying and rolled her eyes. "Just fifty dollars and a little magic?" Evelyn asked.

Benny whooped in victory and hugged his grandma with as much strength as he could without hurting her. "Thank you thank you thank you!" Benny ripped away from her and pulled out his phone. "Sarah!"

TPP

Ethan sighed, ruffling his hair. He was seventeen today. Another year older. To say he wan't estatic about it was an understatement. He literally had no opinion about his birthday anymore, not since his crazed uncle decided to destroy his Grams's piano the day he turned fourteen, the day he was supposed to claim that beautiful instrument. Ever since then he found it hard to be excited about his birthday anymore, the day he aged one more year always left him melancholy and waiting for the day to be over. He'd always fake excitement or enthusiasm whenever he had to on his birthday, for the sake of his parents, and he'd gotten really good at it. The only one who could really see through the act was Benny.

Ethan sighed again once he found a folded paper taped to his locker, with his name written on it. Ethan cautiously walked over to it, relaxing only when he saw that it was in Benny's handwriting. No one could fake that nearly unreadable scrawl. He tore the paper off his locker door and opened it curiously. He froze, his body tensing, and his brown eyes turned a glowing and foggy white.

_"Hey dude. Happy Birthday." Benny told him with a wide smirk on his face, his eyes light. "Follow the visions."_

Ethan's eyes returned to thier normal chocolate brown, and he relaxed. "'Follow the visions'?" Ethan asked quietly, confused. He gasped, his eyes turning white once again.

_The hood of his old car in the school parking lot, with another note taped to the metal._

"Alright, Benny, I'll play along." Ethan said, stuffing the blank paper into his locker and walking out the front door toward his car.

TPP

"Hello?" Ethan called, walking out onto his back patio. "Hello?"

"Back here, E!" Benny's voice called from the sunroom of the Morgan's.

"What's going on, Benny?" Ethan called back, hesitating to move.

"Just get in here, Ethan!" Sarah's voice yelled.

"Sarah?" Ethan was now hopelessly confused.

"Benny!" He heard Rory exclaim.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Only Benny can 'Benny!'." Benny scolded. Ethan rolled his eyes and moved for the sunroom.

"Says you!" Rory argued.

"Boys, knock it off or I'll turn the both of you into toads!" Grandma Weir chastised.

"Sorry Grandma." Benny apologized, Rory muttering his. Ethan pushed the outside door to the sunroom open and blinked in confusion.

The room was empty. Completely empty. No furniture, just a spacious empty room. No Rory, Evelyn, Sarah, or Benny. Just, an empty room. Ethan scowled. Of course. Only Benny would pull this kind of prank. He should have known.

The Seer turned around and had one foot out the door before he felt a rush of cold wind on his neck. "Benny, seriousl- What?" Ethan stopped mid-snap, shocked. _That wasn't there before. _

Sitting in the middle of the room was a stunning and sleek grand black piano, with a large red ribbon tied around it in a big bow on the top. "Wow." Ethan breathed, reaching out with shaky fingers to touch the magnificent instrument standing gloriously in front of him. _I'm dreaming, I'm positively dreaming. There is no way, no way a piano is sitting in my sunroom in my house. I've gotta be dreaming. _

"SUPRISE!" Grandma Weir, Benny, Rory, Sarah, Jane, and Erica yelled, popping into existance on the other side of the piano. Ethan screamed, scrambling backward until his back hit the door and sent him tumbling to the floor. He looked at them with wide and alarmed brown eyes as they laughed at him.

"You guys are sick." Ethan stammered, standing up.

"You okay, E?" Benny asked with a wide and amused smirk.

"Let my heart start beating again and we'll see." Ethan retorted breathlessly. Benny laughed.

"But, wouldn't you be dead if your heart wasn't beating?" Rory asked, confused. Ethan rolled his eyes, nobody bothering to answer the vampire.

"So, what do you think?" Sarah demanded, bouncing on her feet, eagerly awaiting Ethan's answer.

"It's beautiful." Ethan answered honestly.

"Glad you think so." Benny told him, his smirk changing into a bright smile. Ethan gave him a questioning look. "Because it's yours."

Ethan was floored, a stunned look clouding his brown eyes. "M-Mine?" Everyone nodded, grinning and chuckling at the expression on the Seer's face. "Wha-Huh?" He squeaked.

"What did you think we borrowed a piano and put it in here, sent you on a vision hunt and put a bow on this bad boy, just to take it back to the store?" Evelyn snorted.

"It's all yours, E." Benny confirmed.

"But, how? This must have cost a fortune!" Ethan objected, beginning to smile in spite of himself.

"Not as much as you might think." Sarah chuckled.

"But-" Ethan couldn't wrap his head around it.

"That's none of your business how we got it. What matters is that we got it, and it's yours." Erica interrupted.

"It's from all of us." Benny added.

"Do you like it?" Jane asked, smiling hopefully up at her big brother.

"Like it?" Ethan asked, shaking his head. "I _love _it!" He tackled his friends in a bear hug. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

"Try it out!" Benny laughed, shoving him toward the piano bench. "See how it sounds, dude!" Everyone, including Erica, gathered around the piano as Ethan dropped his bag and jacket on the floor beside the bench and sat down, lifting the lid to giddily discover 88 perfect ivory keys. He hesitantly played a few notes randomly, and let out a little laugh when the piano emitted a beautiful recollection of music that perfectly matched the notes he just played. He smirked once an idea for a song came to him. Everyone's eyes went wide. Ethan smirked and stood.

"_As he came into the window_

_It was the sound of a crescendo_

_He came into her apartment_

_He left the bloodstains on the carpet_

_She ran underneath the table_

_He could see she was unable_

_So she ran into the bedroom_

_She was struck down, it was her doom._

_Annie, are you okay?_

_So, Annie are you okay?_

_Are you okay, Annie? (x4)_

_Annie, are you okay?_

_Will you tell us that you're okay?_

_There's a sign on the window,_

_That he struck you a crescendo, Annie._

_He came into your apartment_

_He left the bloodstains on the carpet_

_Then you ran into the bedroom_

_You were struck down, it was your doom._

_Annie, are you okay?_

_So, Annie are you okay?_

_Are you okay, Annie?_

_You've been hit by,_

_You've been hit by,_

_A smooth criminal_

_Annie, are you okay?_

_So, Annie are you okay?_

_Are you okay, Annie? (x3)_

_So they came into the outway_

_It was Sunday, what a black day._

_Mouth-to-mouth resusitation_

_Sounding heartbeats, intimidations._

_Annie, are you okay?_

_So, Annie are you okay?_

_Are you okay, Annie? (x4)_

_Annie, are you okay?_

_Will you tell us that you're okay?_

_There's a sign on the window,_

_That he struck you a crescendo, Annie._

_He came into your apartment_

_He left the bloodstains on the carpet_

_Then you ran into the bedroom_

_You were struck down, it was your doom._

_Annie, are you okay?_

_So, Annie are you okay?_

_Are you okay, Annie?_

_You've been hit by,_

_You've been struck by,_

_A smooth criminal._

_You've been hit by,_

_You've been struck by,_

_A smooth criminal."_

Ethan finished, breathless and fingers slightly sore. He collapsed onto the piano bench, massaging his fingers. Smooth Criminal was always difficult to do, it took him two months of non-stop practice to master the simplified version on the piano, forget singing it.

"Dude!" Rory exclaimed. They all looked either suprised, impressed, or a mixture of both. "You just killed that!" Rory's exclamation broke the floodgates, all of a sudden everyone was applauding and cheering. Ethan smiled shyly and laughed when Benny clapped him on the shoulder.

"Happy Birthday E!"

**Dang that was long! I hope you enjoyed. The song was Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson.**

**Review please!**


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